Broadcast Ministers Hear Fiery Rhetoric

February 5, 1986|By James D. Davis, Religion Editor

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is a ``rogue elephant that changed America,`` White House adviser Patrick Buchanan told the National Religious Broadcasters on Tuesday. ``It opened the raw sewage of pornography and made America into a social Love Canal.``

In firebrand style, Buchanan, who helped shape President Reagan`s State of the Union address Tuesday night, delivered his own angry version of the state of affairs in the United States to a gathering of media ministers strongly supportive of his New Right views.

Buchanan and TV preacher Jimmy Swaggart, in separate appearances before the group, verbally lashed government institutions, especially the Supreme Court.

Swaggart said Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court are institutions ``damned by God Almighty`` unless they outlaw abortion.

Buchanan spoke after receiving a distinguished service award at the NRB`s annual Federal Communications Commission banquet.

As a member of the White House inner circle, Buchanan had considerable influence on the draft of Reagan`s State of the Union address, having added portions on ``family`` concerns such as school prayer.

``The First Amendment was written not to protect government from religious values, but to protect those values from government tyranny,`` he said.

Swaggart`s talk was part of a breakfast debate on religion and politics. His opponent was the Rev. John Buchanan, chairman of People for the American Way.

John Buchanan, a former Alabama congressman who was defeated by a Moral Majority-backed candidate, spoke approvingly of the ``wall of separation`` between church and state.

A Baptist minister, he reminded listeners that non-Anglicans often were persecuted in America`s infancy. ``The history of government machinations in sectarian groups has been appalling. Look at the Inquisition, witch burnings, the Crusades. We ought to thank God for our First Amendment guarantees.``

But the crowd clearly favored Swaggart, who drew frequent applause during his fiery rhetoric.

``The issue is not with me or Jerry Falwell or fundamentalists, but with the Bible,`` the Baton Rouge, La. evangelist said. ``Much Bible, much freedom; little Bible, little freedom; no Bible, no freedom.``